


Challenge

by Timelockedwisp



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Drama, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-31
Updated: 2016-12-31
Packaged: 2018-09-13 18:50:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9136984
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Timelockedwisp/pseuds/Timelockedwisp
Summary: Veira, an Overwatch sniper, prepares to become mission ready once more after recovering from a major injury. To further improve her prowess she is sent under the tutelage of a certain marksman, who may find her to be a challenging pupil.





	1. Chapter 1

Challenge

 

Hello Everyone! This is my first fic so please be kind. :).  
I want to stick to canon as closely as possible but some liberties will be taken, seeing as Hanzo is not even affiliated with Overwatch in the game. Enjoy!

 

POW!  
Loud shots rang consecutively.  
Moving targets fell as each bullet hit their mark precisely.  
The sharpshooter lifted her head up from the scope view and smirked, brushing a stray lock of cool brown hair from her eyes. She was rather satisfied with herself, after all she hit every target without missing a beat. She picked herself up from the ground against the barrier and slung the strap of the weapon around her, resting the rifle along her backside. Slow clapping echoed as one of the Overwatch techs made his way over to the her. 

The tech flipped through some papers on a clipboard.  
“Veira, your aim has improved greatly! However your speed still has room to improve...Remember, get-”

“ -them before they know I even exist… I know I know,” Veira interrupted as she cocked her head to the side, slightly rolling her eyes.

“ That’s all for today,” The tech chuckled, gesturing that she was free to go.

Veira adjusted the rifle on her back and moved to make her way to the exit; but before she could reach the door she was stopped by a older woman with tanned skin donning an eyepatch and a blue shawl.

“Veira, dear, I am pleased with your results. Please follow me,” she said, gesturing for the younger woman to follow.

“It seems you are taking my instruction to heart. We are finally tapping into your potential; I want to make sure you are more than prepared for the next mission.”

“A mission... It’s been so long. What is the objective?” The younger woman inquired, trying to hide her eagerness. They had reached outside; the bright sun was nearing the horizon in the western sky. 

“No. No mission yet. I feel that you are not ready to go back out into the field yet,” Responded the white haired woman.

“My injuries have healed, I’ve excelled at my training, what else am I missing? Ana, I’m ready!” protested Veira, impatience bubbling under her words. 

The thirty-one year old couldn’t help but feel time was wasting away when she could be doing something worthwhile. Years ago, her marksmanship had garnered the attention of Overwatch, an organization of heroes protecting the population from wide scale threats. However, because of the Petras Act, Overwatch became a husk of its former self, continuing operations underground illegally.   
It had been a year and a half since she had been gravely injured on her last mission, a nearly catastrophic encounter with the one and only Reaper.  
If not for her team, she wouldn’t made it back alive. The shot had gone clean between her ribs and exited out her back, puncturing her left lung and damaging nerves. The blood loss was severe and all hope would have been lost if not for the infamous Dr. A. Zeigler. The Swiss doctor had worked nothing short of a miracle, seemingly bringing Veira back from the dead. Bedridden for her injuries, it had taken Veira weeks before she could summon the strength to stand and then months to recover her ability to maneuver around. She missed the action, the camaraderie, the rush.

Unwavering, Ana shook her head, “I understand you are eager but I will not have it on my conscience to lose one of my best snipers. You excel at long range but you’re hand to hand combat could greatly use improvement. That is why I have arranged for you to work with one of our best in that field.”

Veira could not argue. Close combat was her weak point. Give her some distance and she could best anyone with her rifle, but give only a few steps and she was as good as useless. Her last mission unfortunately proved that point. 

Ana lead Veira through a courtyard overlooking the rough ocean and into a tunnel-like building in the mountain side. The largest of the secret Overwatch bases was built into the side of a mountain range, high tech, secure, and most importantly, concealed from the rest of the world.   
Continuing, they walked through a long hallway sporting a series of large open rooms. Some rooms were locked behind large automatic steel doors with only a thick glass pane to allow a curious eye. Most of the rooms held a common purpose; training. Veira already felt she knew who she would be assigned under, positive it would be one of her acquaintances from a previous mission. 

Ana, slid the door open, allowing the younger woman through first. Upon seeing the man who would be her trainer, Veira was taken aback. By the table covered with various tools and weaponry stood a muscular man who appeared to be in his late thirties. He wore a black kimono which exposed his left arm and torso. Most noticeable was the dragon tattoo that spread across his chest and wound from his shoulder down his arm and to his wrist. His coal black hair was pulled back into a high ponytail and he sported a well trimmed beard. Age was beginning to show judging by the streaks of gray by his temples. The muscles in his arms flexed boldly as he strung a bow. This man was not the cyborg ninja she was expecting. She felt a little foolish.

“Hello Hanzo, your trainee has arrived,” Ana smiled, regarding Veira, “Hanzo was gracious enough to agree to train you in close combat while Genji is on a long term mission. I felt Hanzo would give you equal opportunity seeing as you both are marksmen,” explained Ana.

The marksman was a proud looking man who stood poised with an air superiority. His face seemed to be carved from ice, showing no hint of warmth. It was easy to feel intimidated looking at such a man, but Veira was not going to allow herself to be. Summoning her courage, she reached her hand out and began her introduction.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you Hanzo. I apologize if this is an inconvenience for you.”

The man returned the handshake with a slight nod. “ No inconvenience. I will assure your success.”

After handing Hanzo a clipboard, Ana casually saluted the two and made her way for the door.

“I’ll be off now. Hanzo will keep me updated with your progress. I expect nothing less than perfection.”   
And with that the older woman left.

The marksman scanned the clipboard before tossing it onto the nearby table. He moved to the center of the room which Veira realized was set up very much like a dojo.  
“Stand across the room, I will measure your ability with my own eyes.” Hanzo’s voice was cool, commanding; words heavy with his Japanese accent.

Veira obeyed, setting her rifle down and moving across from him. She eyed him cautiously as she fell into a defensive stance.

“Attack me” Hanzo commanded again, his dark eyes locked onto her.

Without hesitation, Veira launched herself towards him. Before she could land a blow, he had already deflected her move, spinning her around in the opposite direction. Veira gasped as she stumbled, Hanzo’s muscled arm wrapped around her neck in a deadlock. Even in her current position Veira took notice of his scent; he smelt vaguely of incense and mountain air.

“Too obvious.” Hanzo muttered and let go.

Shocked, Veira found herself wondering how someone with his bulk could move around with such ease. He had deflected her attacked without even so much as blinking. She rubbed her neck where Hanzo’s arm had been.

“Again,” commanded Hanzo, moving back into place. 

“ Don’t hold back or anything” Veira jested. She squinted her eyes, accepting the challenge. Again, she launched herself at the man but, to her humiliation, found the attack deflected once more. They continued to spar a few more times, each time with Hanzo giving an unimpressed remark. Veira’s frustration mounted with each blunt remark.

“Everyday, you will come here at this time to train.” Hanzo directed. His arms were folded across his sculpted chest; he seemed to be looking down upon Veira. Finally he offered his hand and helped her up. His grip was strong but not painfully so. 

“Isn’t that a little much? Don’t I get the weekends off?” Veira questioned sarcastically, rubbing her arm where she had landed on the floor in one of their bouts.

“That attitude is why you fail. You need discipline. Be sure to arrive on time tomorrow. ” Hanzo scoffed. 

Veira sensed that Hanzo had seen enough in the first couple of spars. Blushing slightly, Veira swore that she would give him hell tomorrow. 

“Thanks, I guess. See you tomorrow then...sensei” She teased. The man seemed like such a stickler, absolutely no sense of humor. This was going to be a challenging week and she could already feel aches arise throughout her body. With a nod goodbye, she grabbed her rifle and left for her apartment across the base.

Hanzo watched her leave and sighed softly. She has a lot of spirit, maybe too much. It will take time to tame that one. He knelt down and took a deep breath, beginning his meditation.


	2. Impromptu Lesson

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tension hangs in the air thick enough to cut with a knife. Veira and Hanzo find themselves in awkward situations.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note:  
> Okay, so I am posting this way later than intended. Life has a funny way of demanding all of your time and attention. This chapter was definitely a pain in the ass as I struggled with different ideas but finally made some commitments. Hopefully you lovely readers will enjoy. I must thank my bestie for helping me with ideas and proofreading - I <3 you!

It had been a little over two months since Veira began training under Hanzo. The marksman was not an lenient tutor; The first few weeks had left Veira in such a sore state she could scarcely make it out of bed in the morning. She was sure Hanzo had noticed but he didn’t make it known. He often ignored her commentary, but appeared particularly agitated when she referred to him as “Mr. Shimada”. Other than the seemingly permanent stick up his ass the man was not an open book; which Veira found disconcerting. Does he even have emotions? She (jokingly) wondered if he was secretly an omnic using a brooding visage as cover. She made a mental note to find a way under his hard shell.

On the other hand, Hanzo found Veira too nonchalant; she was quite capable and had the drive but she was quicker with her tongue than her training. Often, he chided her in hopes of getting her to focus better. He surmised that she was the most difficult student he had ever trained   
(which honestly wasn’t many as he traveled frequently in his pre Overwatch career). Admittedly, he enjoyed provoking her by calling out her mistakes, knowing it would get her blood boiling. Despite Vieira's faults, she was making improvements and Hanzo made sure to notify Ana every step of the way.

Veira had arrived to the dojo earlier than normal, allowing herself a few moments to peruse the collection of weaponry on a rack by the far wall. She traced her fingers along the edge of a bow, feeling the smooth wooden texture. She removed the bow from its place, holding it out with one hand and pulling taught on the string with the other. Her muscles quivered as she worked to draw the string to her ear. She then released it as if loosing an arrow.

Light sounds from within the dojo broke Hanzo from his meditation. The marksman stepped silently into the room without alerting the woman to his presence and leaned against the doorframe to observe. He caught himself eyeing her curves and quickly felt a hot wave kindle in his chest. Her form with the weapon wasn’t half bad; he could help her improve it. Taking a deep breath he moved closer to the woman.

“Here, I will show you how...” came a gruff voice from behind, startling Veira.   
Hanzo stepped behind her, his muscular torso lightly brushing her back. Chills coursed down her spine. He gracefully took her hand with the bow and guided her arm straight. 

“Pull...like this,” his warm breath whispered across her cheek. His hand cupped hers as, together, they pulled the string towards her ear. His strength made it look so easy.

“Now, imagine an arrow. Use it to guide your eye,” the marksman directed. Had his voice always been so...soft?

Veira felt a fluttering sensation in her abdomen and was sure her knees were going buckle. This man who, she was sure, held her in disdain was systematically pushing past her personal barriers. Why am I so anxious?

Hanzo wasn’t sure why he was doing this. Showing her how to properly hold a bow was not part of what he had agreed to teach her....and yet he found himself unable to resist, eager even. The distance between them was so short he could smell her hair, fragrant. Like jasmine. Composure just barely intact, he lightly pulled her fingers from the string, letting it bounce back into place.   
Finding his voice again, he breathed, “...Like that.” 

Veira normally would have slung a witty remark but she found herself uncharacteristically quiet. Slowly, she turned to face him. They had been close plenty of times before while they trained, but never like this. She was able to see his dark eyes, illuminated by streaks of honey, clearly. His sculpted nose was broader at the top and narrowed towards the bottom. His heavy brows, normally furrowed into his signature scowl, were relaxed, making his features less intense. 

“I -Uh…I need to go,” sweeping a strand of hair from her face, Veira backed against the wall, then turned to quickly retreat, avoiding any eye contact.

For a moment Hanzo remained stunned in place, uncertain of what had just occurred.

...What am I doing?

His mind kept racing back to her face when she had turned around. Her full lips were slightly parted, wide hazel eyes staring back at him in shock or awe, he couldn’t tell. Freckles were scattered playfully along her nose; something he found undeniably enchanting. What was making him just now notice these things?   
I am letting myself get distracted! Control yourself...He silently reprimanded himself.   
Hanzo placed the bow back onto the rack and sighed.

“You always frightened the girls back then. It seems old habits die hard, brother,”   
called out an all too familiar, disembodied voice.

“Genji…How long were you there?” Hanzo questioned the Cyborg who made his presence known.

“Long enough. In all my years, I have never seen you so... taken,” Genji seemed to consider the last word as he leaned against the doorway with his arms crossed. Despite the mask over his face, his posture exposed his amusement.

“I do not know what you speak of,” Hanzo replied curtly, making himself busy by straightening the weapons among the racks.

“Anata wa hidoi usotsukidesu... If you need advice about women -”

“Yameru! We are done here,” Hanzo interrupted, obviously irritated.

Hanzo knew his brother was grinning underneath his visor. He could hear the satisfaction in Genji’s tone and delighted in the thought of wiping the assumed smile off of his face.  
Soon enough,an agitated Hanzo strode briskly out of the room, which was evidence enough for Genji; he had hit the bullseye.

Genji spoke honestly when he said he had never seen his brother act in such a way. Hanzo solely focused on honor and duty and never allowed himself room for outside frivolities. Genji found this sudden change intriguing. The younger brother was well acquainted with Veira as they had teamed up on missions in the past. He was present when she was nearly killed and reflected on the memory of retreating to the air carrier with her bleeding out in his arms. No one believed she was going to make it...but somehow Angela had proved everyone wrong yet again. He smiled at the thought of his beloved doctor and felt a little guilty for not believing she could save Veira. 

 

_____________________________________________________________________

 

The next day, Veira did not show up for training. Hanzo paced, clearly irked by his trainee’s absence. She is LATE.  
His mind wandered to the previous day’s occurrence, feeling a pang of guilt before quickly stealing himself again. She is my responsibility. I must prepare her for the future.   
He made his way out of the facility and began his search. He tried her apartment and when no answer came, he made his way to the mess hall. When he did not find her there he figured the next best place to look would be the firing range. He marched through the building until he heard shots sounding from one of the far end rooms. That must be her. Looking through the observation pane revealed Veira, leaning against a barrier with her arms locked around a rifle. Her usual nonchalant air was replaced with intensity as she emptied her rifle among the targets. Impressed, Hanzo watched until she paused to reload. He knocked on the glass and as she looked up in surprise, he gestured for her to come out. 

The sharpshooter was not expecting company, especially from the man whom she hoped to avoid. Veira felt a little flustered and wondered if he was there to reprimand her for skipping out on training. Before Hanzo could open his mouth to speak, footsteps drew their attention to a woman walking up behind them.

“Good, you two are here,” Ana smiled, but her demeanor read business. 

“Congratulations Veira dear, your status has been upgraded back to active,” she handed a packet of files to Veira.

Veira gaped at the file in her hands before looking back up at Ana, “Are you serious?”

“Very. In fact, Hanzo will be joining you.”

In dismay, Hanzo and Veira’s eyes immediately locked onto one another’s.

“This will be an undercover mission. Low profile. Your objective is to gather intel and eliminate a Talon supporter. The target has been supplying advanced tech and weapons and must be removed.”

“With all due respect Ana, wouldn’t something like this be better suited for McCree or yourself? I didn’t think I’d be given such a high priority mission so soon...” 

“You two are one of the few operatives who have not had your faces affiliated with Overwatch. Like myself, McCree’s chances of being recognized are too great which is why you and Hanzo fit the bill. Your mission will begin effective tomorrow at 1500. A carrier will be waiting for you at the pad and will take you to Las Vegas. Morrison will brief you on the flight but there will be a weapons expo on Saturday so do your best to blend in and gather intel.”

Ana dismissed the two with a salute and gave a small pat on Veira’s shoulder, in a small but meaningful gesture, before leaving, “Good luck and be careful.”

With Hanzo peering over her shoulder, Veira opened the packet and eagerly scanned through the contents. While flipping through the pages two badges slipped out onto the floor. Hanzo knelt to pick them up, inspecting them as he rose. The archer inhaled deeply and held up two IDs revealing their new identities: Takeo and Grace Yamashiro. Not only were they going to be going on a mission together but they were going to be going undercover as a married couple.  
Noticing Hanzo’s bewilderment, Veira placed her hand on his shoulder and smirked  
“Ready for our business trip, darling husband?”


End file.
